Investigating academic achievement of English medium instruction courses in Turkey

This article reports a quantitative study that investigated academic achievement in English medium instruction (EMI) courses at a public university in Turkey. Student test score data on EMI and Turkish medium instruction (TMI) courses as well as general English proficiency scores were collected in two academic divisions: the mathematical, physical, and life sciences (MPLS, N = 357); and the social sciences (N = 359). Analysis conducted at the macro (academic division), meso (academic department), and micro levels (academic program) showed subtle differences at each level. Overall, results were consistent: English language proficiency was a strong predictor of academic achievement of social science participants, whereas success in TMI courses predicted EMI success of MPLS participants. These results reinforce the notion that more language support should be given to social science students, whereas learning some content through TMI should be prioritized for MPLS students. Implications for language professionals and EMI practitioners are discussed, and suggestions are made for further research

Linguistic and non-linguistic factors impacting EMI academic success: a longitudinal study

This study explored changes in English language proficiency and several non-linguistic factors during four years of English medium instruction (EMI) in two academic disciplines in a Turkish university setting. Moreover, it also investigated whether changes (if any) had a predictive impact on the academic success of EMI students. In addition, potential differences between disciplines were also investigated. The participants were 241 EMI students from Business Administration (n = 117) and Mechanical Engineering (n = 124) programmes. Our findings revealed that in addition to the language proficiency scores, various non-linguistic factors, including self-efficacy, ideal L2 self, motivation, self-regulation skills, and anxiety levels, changed throughout EMI education. However, only English proficiency and instrumental motivation emerged as positively significant predictors of EMI success.Our findings also revealed that the increase in participants' intrinsic motivation scores was a significant negative predictor of EMI success. These results are discussed and implications are given regarding the impact of linguistic and non-linguistic factors in EMI contexts

The Critical Period for Weed Control (CPWC) in Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

Accurate assessment of crop-weed control period is an essential part for planning an effective weed management for cropping systems. Field experiments were conducted during the seasonal growing periods of potato in 2012 and 2013 in Kayseri, Turkey to assess critical period for weed control (CPWC) in potato. A four parameter log-logistic model was used to assist in monitoring and analysing two sets of related, relative crop yield. Data was obtained during the periods of increased weed interference and as a comparison, during weed-free periods. In both years, the relative yield of potato decreased with a longer period of weed-interference whereas increased with increasing length of weed free period. In 2012, the CPWC ranged from 112 to 1014 GDD (Growing Degree Days) which corresponded to 8 to 66 days after crop emergence (DAE) and between 135-958 GDD (10 to 63 DAE) in the following year based on a 5% acceptable yield loss. Weed-free conditions needed to be established as early as the first week after crop emergence and maintained as late as ten weeks after crop emergence to avoid more than 5% yield loss in the potato. The results suggest that CPWC could well assist potato producers to significantly reduce the expense of their weed management programs as well as improving its efficacy

Factors influencing EFL teachers’ provision of oral corrective feedback: the role of teaching experience

This study highlights critical factors influencing English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ decisions to provide in-class oral corrective feedback (OCF). It explores the interplay between teachers’ individual differences – namely educational background, teaching experience, and additional training – and their decisions regarding OCF. EFL teachers in three Turkish universities each had three hours of their speaking classes recorded. A thematic analysis of stimulated recall interview data revealed that teachers’ decisions were influenced by learner-related, contextual, and teacher-specific factors. The teachers stated that they provided OCF because they believed that learners expected it. Learner-related factors such as emotions and low proficiency served as deterrents to OCF. Regarding the contextual factors, institutional expectations motivated the provision of OCF, while the nature of activities dissuaded teachers from administering OCF. The teacher factor most commonly cited as a stimulus for providing OCF was the inclination to elicit the correct form from students. The teachers were reluctant to provide OCF because they favoured delayed feedback at the end of the activity or lesson. Regression analysis of the video data revealed that only teaching experience contributed significantly to teachers’ decision-making. The role of teaching experience is discussed, and suggestions are made regarding the provision of OCF

Evaluation of retinal nerve fiber layer and ganglion cell layer thicknesses with optical coherence tomography in patients with vitamin B12 deficiency

Aim: We aimed to compare the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and ganglion cell layer (GCL) thickness of B12 vitamin deficiency patients with healthy controls using optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods: Forty-six patients (27 females / 19 males) diagnosed with B12 vitamin deficiency and 46 healthy controls (26 females / 20 males) with similar age and sex were included in the study. RNFL thickness of global, superotemporal, temporal, inferotemporal, superonasal, nasal and inferonasal sectors and GCL thickness and volume measurements of central, superior, inferior, temporal, and nasal sectors were performed using Spectralis-OCT device in all cases. Results: The mean age of the patient group was 42.17±15.34 years, while that of the control group was 44.21±12.34 years (p=0.528). Mean serum vitamin B12 levels were measured as 163,47±19,80 pg/ml in the patient group and 311,80±76,30 pg/ml in the control group (p <0,01). There was no statistically significant difference between the global RNFL thicknesses of the two groups (p> 0,05). However, statistically non-significant thinning was observed in the superotemporal and global RNFL thickness of the group with B12 vitamin deficiency (p values are 0,140 and 0,171, respectively). There was also no statistically significant difference between GCL thicknesses and volumes of the two groups (p> 0.05). Conclusions: No significant reduction was observed in RNFL and GCL thicknesses of adult subjects with B12 vitamin deficiency compared with healthy controls

Linguistic and non-linguistic factors impacting EMI academic success: a longitudinal study

This study explored changes in English language proficiency and several non-linguistic factors during four years of English medium instruction (EMI) in two academic disciplines in a Turkish university setting. Moreover, it also investigated whether changes (if any) had a predictive impact on the academic success of EMI students. In addition, potential differences between disciplines were also investigated. The participants were 241 EMI students from Business Administration (n = 117) and Mechanical Engineering (n = 124) programmes. Our findings revealed that in addition to the language proficiency scores, various non-linguistic factors, including self-efficacy, ideal L2 self, motivation, self-regulation skills, and anxiety levels, changed throughout EMI education. However, only English proficiency and instrumental motivation emerged as positively significant predictors of EMI success. Our findings also revealed that the increase in participants’ intrinsic motivation scores was a significant negative predictor of EMI success. These results are discussed and implications are given regarding the impact of linguistic and non-linguistic factors in EMI contexts

Transumbilical Totally Laparoscopic Single-Port Nissen Fundoplication: A New Method of Liver Retraction: The Istanbul Technique

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic, had guarded many German scientists of a Jewish descent before the Second World War. Dr. Rudolf Nissen was one of the outstanding surgeons who had served in the Turkish university hospitals. He had created an antireflux procedure which is named after his own name while he was working in our clinic, the CerrahpaAYa Hospital. From a laparoscopic approach, the Nissen fundoplication was the gold standard intervention for the surgical treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Currently, video laparoscopic surgery is evolving quickly with the guidance of new technology. Single-port (SP) laparoscopic transumbilical surgery is one of the newest branches of advanced laparoscopy

Clinical features and major bleeding predictors for 161 fatal cases of COVID-19: A retrospective observational study

The aim of this study was to investigate the patient characteristics and laboratory parameters for COVID-19 non-survivors as well as to find risk factors for major bleeding complications. For this retrospective study, the data of patients who died with COVID-19 in our intensive care unit were collected in the period of March 20 - April 30, 2020. D-dimer, platelet count, C-reactive protein (CRP), troponin, and international normalized ratio (INR) levels were recorded on the 1st, 5th, and 10th days of hospitalization in order to investigate the possible correlation of laboratory parameter changes with in-hospital events. A total of 161 non-survivors patients with COVID-19 were included in the study.  The median age was 69.8±10.9 years, and 95 (59%) of the population were male. Lung-related complications were the most common in-hospital complications. Patients with COVID-19 had in-hospital complications such as major bleeding (39%), hemoptysis (14%), disseminated intravascular coagulation (13%), liver failure (21%), ARDS (85%), acute kidney injury (40%), and myocardial injury (70%). A multiple logistics regression analysis determined that age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, use of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) or low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), hemoglobin, D-dimer, INR, and acute kidney injury were independent predictors of major bleeding. Our results showed that a high proportion of COVID-19 non-survivors suffered from major bleeding complications

Comparison of the efficacy of once- and twice-daily colchicine dosage in pediatric patients with familial Mediterranean fever - a randomized controlled noninferiority trial

Background: In this study, we examined the efficacy and safety of a once-daily dosage schema of colchicine compared with a twice-daily dosage schema in pediatric patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). Methods: In this 24-week, multicenter, randomized controlled noninferiority trial, pediatric patients newly diagnosed with FMF carrying a homozygous or compound heterozygous mutation and not receiving any treatment were included. Patients were randomly assigned using a block randomization method to receive treatment with a once- or twice-daily dosage. Clinical and laboratory characteristics and medication side effects were recorded and compared between groups. The study was carried out in compliance with Good Clinical Practice and the Consolidated Standards for Reporting of Trials (CONSORT) statement. Results: A total of 92 patients were selected, and 79 patients completed the study. There were 42 patients in the once-daily dosage group and 37 in the twice-daily dosage group. The results indicated that the once-daily dosage was not inferior to the twice-daily dosage regarding decrease in attack frequency and duration as well as improvement in clinical findings and Mor severity scores. Alterations in laboratory findings indicating inflammation, such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and serum amyloid A, were similar in both groups. The rates of drug side effects were similar between the once- and twice-daily dosage groups, implying comparable safety of colchicine, with the exception of diarrhea, which was slightly higher in the once-daily dosage group. Conclusions: Using colchicine with either a once- or twice-daily dosage provides similar clinical and laboratory improvements. Considering both efficacy and safety, colchicine can be prescribed with a once-daily dosage. Trial Registration ID: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02602028. Registered 5 November 2015